• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Erin Wright Writing

Writing Tips for the Real World

  • Microsoft Word Tutorials
  • Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
  • Writing Tips
  • Editing Tips
  • YouTube Videos
  • Contact

How to Write Centuries as Words and Numerals

By Erin Wright 2 Comments

How to Write Centuries | Image of Irish CastleAre centuries spelled out or written as numerals? Are centuries hyphenated when used as adjectives? Writers and editors have been asking these questions for at least a hundred years. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!) So, this post is going to explore present-day recommendations for how to write centuries as words and numerals.

Are Centuries Spelled Out or Written as Numerals?

The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style) and the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook (MLA style) recommend writing centuries as lowercased words:1

During the ninth century, Vikings established permanent settlements in Ireland.

The first electric automobile was created in the early nineteenth century.

What will be the most important technological advance of the twenty-first century?

The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) offers two recommendations based on number value: (1) single-digit centuries should be written as lowercased words and (2) double-digit centuries should be written as numerals:2

The Roman Empire fell in the fifth century.

Rock and roll music was invented in the 20th century.

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style) is silent on this issue; however, we can reasonably assume that the APA’s recommendation for general numbers, which states that numbers ten and above should be expressed as numerals unless they start a sentence, also applies to centuries.3

Pro Tip: If your organization doesn’t follow a specific style guide or in-house guide, I strongly encourage you to use The Chicago Manual of Style for general business and formal writing. Chicago is also the industry standard for nonfiction and fiction books (although specific publishers may follow other guides).

Regardless of the style guide that you follow, ensure that your chosen style for writing centuries is consistent throughout your document.

Are Centuries Hyphenated When Used as Adjectives?

Centuries follow traditional hyphenation rules for adjectives unless otherwise stated in your style guide or in-house guide. Here are a few examples based on the recommendations mentioned above:4

Antique Roadshow frequently features nineteenth- and twentieth-century furniture.

Antique Roadshow frequently features 19th- and 20th-century furniture.

This twenty-first-century technology will be obsolete in the twenty-second century.

This 21st-century technology will be obsolete in the 22nd century.

Enjoy more timely writing advice in these related posts:

  • How to Write Decades as Words and Numerals
  • When Should You Capitalize Historical Time Periods?
  • When to Hyphenate Numbers with Units of Time

References

‎1. MLA Handbook, 8th ed. (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2016), 1.5; The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 9.32.

2. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 48.

3. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020), 6.32.

4. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 340–42; The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 7.89.

2 Comments Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, capitalization, Chicago style, grammar, punctuation, usage

Home » How to Write Centuries as Words and Numerals
Technical Writer and Editor Erin Wright

Meet the Author

Hello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world on this blog and YouTube

You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nancy Craun says

    July 16, 2018 at 10:35 pm

    There is an additional rule that often gets overlooked — time, measurement, and money are always written in figures. So, if you consider centuries as time, they should all and always be written as a figure: 17th century, 1st decade, etc.

    Reply
    • Erin Wright says

      July 17, 2018 at 11:09 am

      Hi, Nancy. I appreciate your feedback. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to quibble a bit. As far as I know, none of our current primary style guides completely prohibit spelling out time, measurement, or money. For example, see The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, sections 9.20 (money), 9.32 (centuries), and 9.13 (physical quantities). Thank you for reading my blog!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Never Miss a Tutorial!

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts.

Recent Blog Posts

How to Create an Exclusion Dictionary in Microsoft Word

How to Insert and Modify Images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

Dogs visiting the Grand Tetons with text overlay "How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word"

How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

How to Add and Format Text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

Tags

Acrobat Pro Acrobat Standard Adobe Acrobat Reader AMA style APA style AP style blogging book review business editing business writing capitalization Chicago style copyediting CSE Style dictionaries editing tips figures and tables formatting Google Docs grammar marketing Microsoft 365 MLA style proofreading punctuation readability spelling structure style guides substantive editing Track Changes Turabian style usability usage Word 365 Word 2010 Word 2013 Word 2016 Word 2019 writing resources writing tips

Footer

  • Resources
  • About Me
  • Microsoft Word Tutorials
  • Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
  • Writing Tips
  • Editing Tips
  • YouTube Videos
  • Contact
Editorial Freelancers Association Logo
Email: erin@erinwrightwriting.com
Phone: 708-669-9503

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

© Erin Wright, 2012–2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this website’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.